Gyroscopic instrument



Dec. 20, 1932. E, B, wlLLlAMs 1,891,856

GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENT Filed Aug; 29. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ./l I /l v INVENTOR ATTORNEY Dec. 20, 1932. l E. B. WILLIAMS .1,391,856l

GYRSCOPIC INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 29. 1 929 3` Sheets-Sheet 2 @resented @en im, i232 nir rares EUGENE IB. WILLI-EMS, F FORT PIERCE, FLORIDA ernescorro msrnunmvcr Application led .August 29, 1929. Serial No. 389,268.

perpen 'cularly to `the earths' center by grav-- ity, whereby the vernier or other indicating member will move relative to the other Vindicating member carried by the gyroscope and thus indicate the relative movements of the two members y This invention also consists in certain other *features ot construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifical- 1y ointed out in the appended claim.

fil describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or` corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is'an elevation, with parts broken away, of the improved device. l Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-,3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an elevation, with parts broken away, with the supporting member omitted S5 and showing the parts in a different position. v,

Figure 5 is a plan view with parts broken away, showing a modification.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 5. Figure 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Figure L3. 1

Referring to Figures l to 4, the numeral 1 indicates the wheeiof the gyroscope, and the numeral 2 its axle, the wheel being enclosed in a case 3 which is supported to have movement about a horizontal axis in a suh-l stantially oval trame i through means of the ivots 5 carried by the `trame. The ro- .50 scope is driven by the motors and while y and as'the gyroscope will remain in the drawings show two motors, .it will, of course, be understood that it can be driven by oneor more motors. A ring-shaped dial 7 is attached to the casing 3 and the ends of the shaft or axle 2 `are Journaled in por- 55 tions of the inner circumference of said dialv and the motors are supported by portlon'sv of said dial, it being seen that the dial is ar-V lranged at right angles to the wheel and its an casing.

The frame 4 is pivoted in al ring 8 'to move about a vertical axis through means of the pivots 9 carriedby the :trame and engaging portions of the ring 8 and-a second ring 8 is formed with the ring 8 and extends at @5 right angles thereto, with the rings connected together at their vertical axes.` rlihe ring 8 is pivotally supported in a horizontal ring l0 to move about a horizontal axis through means of the pivots llcarried by the ring m 10 and engaging portions of the ring 8 above the horizontal center of said ring 8 so that the parts supported by the ring 10 will remain in a certain position under the action of gravity. The ring l() is. pivoted to a supporting member 12 to move about a horizontal axis through means of the pivots 1.3 carried by the member 12 and engaging portions of the ring' 10. The frame 4, at its upper so part, is composed of two ,spaced portions 4r which are connected together by the cross' piece 4 and this cross piece carries the upper y pivot 9. A Vernier 14 is sus ended from the crolss piece, with its lower e ge adjacent the B5 sca e 'A lubber ring 15 is carried by the rings 8 and 8 and cooperates with a compass ring 16 carried by the frame 4.-, these parts being for convenience in orienting the instrument. From the foregoing' it will be seen that thegyroscope and its index ring or dial 7 has freedom of movement in all directions and that the trame 4 will hold the Vernier perpendicularly under the action of gravity, 95

the position in which it hasfbeen set, the vernier will indicate on the dial 7 changes in the position oit the parte9 due to the travel of a vship or aeroplaneor other-'craft on which-100 the device is placed For instance, the inexact location of the instrument and read-l ings on the Vernier or other device and in that way a ship or aeroplane can determine how far north of the equator it has been carried, by the indicator point. Likewise if the instrument is set so that the axis of rotation of the gyroscope points due east at any given meridian, it willfcontinue this axis of rotation suspended in space, but the diurnal movement of the earth will apparently cause it to completely revolve every twenty-four hours, so that proper corrective readingsshould be made or mechanical corrective devices may be installed on the instrument, as for instance, the indicator ring or point of the instrument may be so arranged that it can be rotated against the diurnal movement of the earth, causing it to apparently stand still and continue to point to the same lace on the Vernier; then if the instrument 1s carried in an easterly or westerly direction from the meridian point where it is set, the indicator will designate the degrees of longitude that the instrument is carried east or west from the starting point.

As is well known, a gyroscope suspended in space continues its axis of rotation fixed 1n space, so that if the instrument is started with the axis of its rotation pointing north, it will maintain that direction unless acted .upon by some ulterior angular force.

The device can be made to orient itself and thereby find north or east or other points of the compass by attaching a weight to the instrument case, so that said weight acts as an ulterior angular force, causing torque and precession, and when a weight is used wlth the device, the device will act as a compass.

The orienting of the instrument is necessary in that the axis of the gyroscope must-be pointed north and south for the purpose of -by a moving ship termining degrees of latitude, and likewise pointed east an west for the pur ose of determining degrees of longitude, w en the instrument is moved from place to place, as

or aeroplane. The instrument, when pro erlyoriented and set, w1ll likewise determine sidereal time, by reason ofthe fact that the axis of the gyroscope remains fixed in space, while the diurnal movement ofthe earth ap arently causes it to rotate once in twentyour hours.

In the modification shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, the gyrosco e is placed in a sphere 17 which -is-graduate to represent the earth and this spherecarries the scale ring 7 andan equatorial ring7, these rings being arranged at right angles to each other, and the sphere is pivotally supported in a ring 18 by the pivots 19. The ring 18 is pivotal y in a ring 20 by the pivots 21 carried by the ring 20 and engaging portions ofthe ring 18. J

The Vernier 14 1s attached to the ring 18 and "di cooperates with the dial ring 7. The ring 20 is pivotally supported above its center by the 7? pivots 22 carried by the ring 23 which is pivoted in a support, as in the first form of the invention. A pair of motor driven gyroscopes 24 is also arranged in the sphere, with their axes extending at right angles to the l39 axes of the first gyroscope, shown generally at l', these gyroscopes 24 holding the sphere motionless in an east-west direction and the gyroscope 1' holding the parts motionless in a north-'south direction. ring 7" may be marked as a Vernier and the ring 7 may be marked with longitudinal markings. In other respects, this modifica.-

tion is similar to the first form of the invcntion and operates in the same manner.

The invention is based upon the principle that a gyroscope so mounted as to have freedom of motion around three rectangular axes will maintain its axis of rotation fixed in space, until acted upon by some externally f impressed angular force.

Obviously, the style of indicator may vary, such as a pointing arrow or needle, etc., or the segment of a circle, or otherwise, but in the drawings, a complete disk or circular flat ring is used.

It is also obvious that the instrument may be ioated or a variet of bearings may be chosen instead of the pivot rinlgs shown in the drawings, and instead of the shown to indicate compass bearings, other means can be used.

Also, to more easily determine degrees of longitudeythe indicator ring might be revolved by an accurate chronometer once in twenty-four hours in order to synchronizel with the diurnal movement ofthe earth. This, however, has been omitted in the accompanying drawings for the sake of simplicity.

Since such an instrument, when installed on `a-moving ship, might be acted upon by the diurnal motion of the earth, combined with the ships motion, depending u on the course and speed of the ship, mechanical correction 12,0

devices maybe desirable to be attached, or such corrections may be taken from charts or tables, especially prepared for such purpose.

It is also obvlous that such an instrument,

so placed and used as to indicate degrees of :125

longitude, will also, if properly marked, be. an absolute chronometer by reason of indieating the accurate diurnal movement:l of the earth.

1 It is also obvious that separate instruments 1.110

supported 79 The equatorial 8,5

orizontal ring '1`0 5 may be `installed for the urpose of deter,- mining (a latitude, (bl), longitude, (c) time; and it is believed that a separate 1nstrument for each purpose will be more advisable, as avoiding complicated machinery. It is also equally obvious, as demonstrated in practical use in the gyroscope -compass, that by applying a detachable Weight to the case containing the gyroscope, this instrument can be made to orient itself.

It is equally obvious that the sensitive element of the instrument, when placed in a hollow globe, as in Figures 5, 6 and 7, may be floated in a suitable substance, such as,vfor instance, mercury or alcohol, instead of being hung in bearings, such as the gimbal rings shown. This globe may have markings of both latitude and longitude, which may be readby means of the verniers, etc., placed north and south and eastand West or a needle indcicator or other suitable register may be use It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claim.

vWhat I claim is z- A gyroscopic instrument including a support and a' motor driven gyroscope having a ring-shaped dial, a'substantially oval-shaped frame positionedA about the gyroscope and having a pair of spaced members, means pivl oting the gyroscope to the frame for move- `ment about a horizontal axis, a pair of' rings arranged at right angles to each other and secured together and positioned about the frame, means pivoting the frame to said rings for movement about a vertical axis, an

annular supporting member pivoted to the support for movement about a horizontal axis andlocated in a plane above the pivots between the gyroscope and the frame, means pivoting the annular member to said rings for movement about a horizontal axis, a cross piece connecting the members of the frame, a vernier suspended from the cross piece and associated with the ring-shaped dial, a lubber ring carried by said first rings, and a compass ring carried by the frame and cooperating with the lubber ring for orienting the device.

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

EUGENE B. WILLIAMS. 

